An increasing number of unaccompanied minors from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries have arrived in Bulgaria in the last few years. They are accommodated in a 'safe zone' in a camp for people who are refugees in Ovcha Kupel, Sofia. The safe zone is run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

These children have often been fleeing war for many years, during the time of their lives at which they would usually have been learning to write or read. Even though they may stay for a year or longer in one place, they are often unable to get to or enrol in school. As a result, they miss out on valuable opportunities to socialise, integrate, become literate, or to even image a future for themselves, which can be incredibly demotivating. This project, therefore, aims to give them an opportunity to bond, to find community and to begin to process and reclaim their own stories. 

The project gifts each child their own camera - these are donated by professional photographers - entrusting them with a valuable object that could be used to start a real career. With the help of a trained and experienced psychologist, as well as the advice of IOM social workers who share the background of the children, the workshops focus on ways to capture feelings in still images. The workshop host and participants first spend time photographing together in the city and in nature, then dedicate a few weeks to working on the stories that the children have chosen to tell. The workshop host works with each child individually, and together they choose the final photos for the exhibition. The group exhibition is then held in a gallery in Sofia, with an evening of celebration and culturally relevant food and music.

Source: Photo Workshop 66 (2024).

During the workshop, the children felt empowered to communicate with Bulgarians around the city by photographing them and showing them the pictures. They also began to talk about their families and hometowns in the process of selecting their stories or choosing music for their exhibition launch event. In 2023, 75 people came to the initial launch and many more visited over the following two weeks. An additional two exhibitions were organised, one at New Bulgarian University at the invitation of the Political Science school, and one at 66th School in Sofia. Three of the children who participated in the project in 2023 plan to return as mentors for future project participants.

Source: Photo Workshop 66 (2024).

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bulgaria wrote the following on their social media about the workshop and exhibit: “As a result of only a few weeks of activities, through their photographs, the participants manage to demonstrate potential and a desire to play an active role in building their future and their adaptation in Sofia”. An official evaluation of the project has not yet been made public.

Source: Photo Workshop 66 (2024).

Unaccompanied minors in vulnerable situations, especially those not going to school. 

In the second year, 8 children will participate in the workshop, and 3 more alumni will participate as mentors. By extension, other children living in the refugee camp will benefit: they will be able to listen in on some sessions, learn about the workshop from the participants, and visit the exhibit to see their peers being celebrated.

In 2023, the project was delivered through the volunteer efforts of the project leader and workshop host, Michaela Vatcheva. The major project costs (printing and catering) were covered by UNHCR and Bulgarian Red Cross. The project also received in-kind contributions from the IOM social workers who translated between Bulgarian and Arabic and advised the workshop host on her educational approach. +Tova gallery donated their space for free. 

Source: Photo Workshop 66 (2024).